They Went Inside!

[3KillerBs]

We had the chicks out in the pen for an hour or so before sunset. The first few times we had to catch them and put them in. Last night we started that process and some of them went in.

Tonight I was waiting for it to get just a little bit darker so that I could catch them easily when one of them got into the door on her own, realized that she was home, and went in. The others followed once they heard her cheeping inside.

Here they are huddled on the blocks next to the pop door, not quite understanding that they can go in.

 

[Chickstarrs]

How old are they? My young ones don't seem to know to go in when the light starts getting low. They are 7 and 9 weeks. I often have to herd them in. Or they wait until it is too dark in the coop that they have trouble finding their proper roosts. That is always a bit event, a kerfuffle is what I call it. Who gets to roost where and with whom.

 

[Jenthehen127]

We had the chicks out in the pen for an hour or so before sunset. The first few times we had to catch them and put them in. Last night we started that process and some of them went in.

Tonight I was waiting for it to get just a little bit darker so that I could catch them easily when one of them got into the door on her own, realized that she was home, and went in. The others followed once they heard her cheeping inside.

View attachment 2269355

Here they are huddled on the blocks next to the pop door, not quite understanding that they can go in.

I remember how exciting this was for us too! Lol!

 

[3KillerBs]

How old are they? My young ones don't seem to know to go in when the light starts getting low. They are 7 and 9 weeks. I often have to herd them in. Or they wait until it is too dark in the coop that they have trouble finding their proper roosts. That is always a bit event, a kerfuffle is what I call it. Who gets to roost where and with whom.

The Brahmas are 7 weeks and the others are 5 weeks.

They don't get to go out alone yet. I give them supervised outside time for an hour or so just before dark. It would be different if I had a covered, hardened run, but in this setup I don't -- just electric poultry net. It would also be different if I'd found a treat that they like well enough to come to my hands for, but I haven't. (They can take or leave mealworms, mostly leave them).

 

[Ryguy3684]

That's a cool feeling when they finally hit those milestones.

 

[drinkoj]

Doesn't it feel great! Still have 3 out of my 4 little chicks left to figure it out.

 

[NatJ]

It would also be different if I'd found a treat that they like well enough to come to my hands for, but I haven't. (They can take or leave mealworms, mostly leave them).

Have you tried wet chicken feed? In my experience, most chicks and adult chickens really love it. (Just chicken food + water.) Yes, you can hold it in your hands if you're willing to wash the hands afterward But it's even easier to just put a dish inside the coop and let them all dash in to gobble it up. Then close the door.

 

[Sonya9]

The Brahmas are 7 weeks and the others are 5 weeks.

They don't get to go out alone yet. I give them supervised outside time for an hour or so just before dark. It would be different if I had a covered, hardened run, but in this setup I don't -- just electric poultry net. It would also be different if I'd found a treat that they like well enough to come to my hands for, but I haven't. (They can take or leave mealworms, mostly leave them).

Have you tried scrambled egg? Also bedtime seems to be the best time to work with them as that is when they would be snuggling in with a hen so they are more open to handling and treats. The rest of the day they have important chick business to attend to.

 

[3KillerBs]

Have you tried wet chicken feed? In my experience, most chicks and adult chickens really love it. (Just chicken food + water.) Yes, you can hold it in your hands if you're willing to wash the hands afterward But it's even easier to just put a dish inside the coop and let them all dash in to gobble it up. Then close the door.

I'm not willing to deal with the mess and potential mold of feeding wet food in the summer heat. I gave my in-town chickens warm scratch-grain porridge on cold winter mornings, but don't care for the extra work preparing it and washing dishes for them routinely.

Have you tried scrambled egg? Also bedtime seems to be the best time to work with them as that is when they would be snuggling in with a hen so they are more open to handling and treats. The rest of the day they have important chick business to attend to.

I have not tried feeding them eggs. I don't generally have leftover eggs hanging around with a 14yo boy in the house and don't want to treat-train them on something that I would have to make up special every time.

Since they don't much care for mealworms I will get them some sunflower seeds when I think they're big enough to handle them and see how that does.

 

[RoseHawke]

Watching with interest. We generally start "shutting down" about 7-ish, but at this point sunset, here, isn't until almost 8:00. It doesn't really start getting dark until that time as well but I don't really want to leave it because I know that I will forget to close up the coop and then wake up at 2:00 a.m. in the morning and panic and be running out there in my nighty with a flashlight. I'm going to try to leave it later tonight and see if they put themselves up. I hope so.